When you are trying to eat a low-fat diet, you may tend to avoid beef due to its high fat and cholesterol content. Not all cuts of beef are created equal, however. By choosing lean cuts of beef, you can cut back on fat and experience the benefits of eating beef, including increasing your protein intake and providing a source of iron in your diet. Knowing how to recognize a lean cut of beef can help you get on the right track to selecting the best steak for you.
Considerations
Even when you choose the leanest cuts of beef, you will still be consuming some element of fat and cholesterol. For example, even the leanest cuts of beef contain 7 percent fat, according to AskDrSears.com. Because a large portion of this fat comes from saturated fat that can clog your arteries, it is important to consume even lean cuts of meat in moderation. The recommended serving size is about 3.5 ounces, which should be roughly the size of your palm.
Labels to Look For
The first step in choosing the lowest fat cuts of meat is to read the label. Beef that is the leanest should be labeled “Extra Lean.” This means the cut of meat has less than 5 grams of total fat, 2 grams of which comes from saturated fats, according to MayoClinic.com. Another label to look for is “Lean,” which indicates the cut of meat has less than 10 grams of total fat and 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat. Both types have 95 milligrams of cholesterol or less. The U.S. Department of Agriculture regulates beef manufacturers to ensure their products live up to these labels, meaning the labels can be a handy and accurate indicator of low-fat beef sources.
Leanest Cuts
Another way to determine a low-fat cut of meat is to know the cuts that are typically the leanest. For example, eye round roast and steak typically have about 4 grams of fat, 1.4 grams of which is from saturated fat, according to Beef It’s What for Dinner, a website of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Other sources that are extra lean include sirloin tip side and steak, top round roast and steak, bottom round roast and steak, and top sirloin steak.
Take a Good Look
In addition to reading labels, you can eyeball a cut of beef to determine if it is high in fat. For example, you should avoid beef that has visible signs of marbling, where white lines or pockets appear interlaced with the meat. This can indicate the beef is high in fat. Instead, choose a cut of beef that has little to no visible fat.
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